Replicating data to a database

ABSTRACT

Techniques for replicating data to a database include determining a change to at least one database value in a database table on a source repository; updating, based on the change to the at least one database value, a snapshot value associated with the change to the at least one database value stored in a log table; incrementing a commit value associated with the snapshot value stored in a commit table, the commit table comprising a plurality of commit values associated with a plurality of corresponding snapshot values; initiating replication of the database from the source repository to a target repository; determining a maximum commit value of the plurality of commit values; and replicating the database value in the database table from the source repository to the target repository based on the commit value associated with the snapshot value being less than or equal to the maximum commit value.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority under 35U.S.C. §120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/415,433, filed Mar.8, 2012, and entitled “REPLICATING DATA TO A DATABASE,” the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to replicating data between two or moredatabases and, more particularly, replicating data from a sourcedatabase to a target database.

BACKGROUND

Data replication describes the process of synchronizing the content of aprimary source database and a secondary target database. Asynchronousdata replication usually focuses on maximizing throughput. As aconsequence, consistency of the data replication may be compromised. Forexample, if changes are applied in parallel using multiple transactions,there is danger that a portion of changes to the content one or moredatabase tables applied by one transaction might be visible because theymight already have been committed while another portion of changes isstill pending. These inconsistencies may be resolved once all changesare committed to the target database. For example, the target system maybecome consistent if it is halted for a sufficient time, which decreasesthroughput.

Simple algorithms that reread the data from the original tables upontransportation have at least to rely on shared locks in order to avoiddirty reads. However, this may lead to waiting situations wherethroughput is decreased. For example, assuming that a data replicatortries to acquire read locks on certain data in a database table, if thedata on which locks are to be acquired is already occupied by anexclusive lock held by a particular transaction, the replicator may bedelayed. During that time, the data replicator may block multipletransactions acquiring exclusive locks on the entries already locked.Therefore, throughput on the source system may get significantlyimpacted. This may lead to deadlocks and hence can lead to abortingtransactions.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates to replicating data between two or moredatabases and, more particularly, replicating data from a sourcedatabase to a target database while, in some embodiments, maximizingthroughput and consistency and minimizing isolation level duringreplication. For example, data may be replicated from a sourcerepository to a target repository by maintaining “snapshots” of thesource repository database through log tables that record uniqueidentifiers when data in the database is changed. Such uniqueidentifiers may then be associated with secondary identifiers thatindicate when data in the source repository has been committed. Data inthe source repository that is committed prior to the last committed dataprior to replication may then be replicated, thus ensuring (at leastpartially) consistency between the source and target repositories.

Techniques for replicating data to a database include a generalembodiment of apparatus, systems and methods including determining achange to at least one database value in a database table of a databaseon a source repository; updating, based on the change to the at leastone database value, a snapshot value associated with the change to theat least one database value stored in a log table, the log tablecomprising the database value, a database key associated with thedatabase value, and the snapshot value associated with the change to theat least one database value; incrementing, based on the update to thesnapshot value, a commit value associated with the snapshot value storedin a commit table, the commit table comprising a plurality of commitvalues associated with a plurality of corresponding snapshot values;initiating replication of the database from the source repository to atarget repository; determining, subsequent to initiating replication, amaximum commit value of the plurality of commit values; and replicatingthe database value in the database table from the source repository tothe target repository based on the commit value associated with thesnapshot value being less than or equal to the maximum commit value.

A first aspect combinable with any of the general embodiments includesacquiring a lock on the database table during replication of thedatabase value in the database table from the source repository to atarget repository.

A second aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includessubstantially preventing changes to the at least one database value inthe database table during lock.

A third aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesapplying the replicated database value in the database table in thetarget repository to a corresponding database value in a correspondingdatabase table in the target repository so that the correspondingdatabase value matches the replicated database value.

A fourth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesdetermining a change to a second database value in the database table.

A fifth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesupdating, based on the change to the second database value, a secondsnapshot value associated with the change to the second database valuestored in the log table.

A sixth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesincrementing, based on the update to the second snapshot value, a secondcommit value associated with the second snapshot value stored in thecommit table.

A seventh aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesreplicating the second database value from the source repository to thetarget repository based on the second commit value associated with thesecond snapshot value being less than or equal to the maximum commitvalue.

In an eighth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects,replicating the second database value in the database table from thesource repository to the target repository occurs substantially inparallel with applying the replicated database value in the databasetable in the target repository to the corresponding database value in acorresponding database table in the target repository.

In a ninth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects,replicating the database value in the database table from the sourcerepository to the target repository includes replicating the databasevalue in the database table from the source repository to the targetrepository at a read uncommitted transaction isolation level.

A tenth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesgenerating the log table comprising the database value, the database keyassociated with the database value, and the snapshot value associatedwith the change to the at least one database value.

In an eleventh aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects, thelog table further includes an operation value associated with the changeto the at least one database value.

A twelfth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesgenerating the commit table comprising the plurality of commit valuesassociated with the plurality of corresponding snapshot values.

In a thirteenth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects, thecommit table is associated with a plurality of log tables.

A fourteenth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects includesupdating, based on the updated snapshot value, a change table includinga plurality of snapshot values and a plurality of database table names.

In a fifteenth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects, eachof the plurality of snapshot values associated with a correspondingdatabase table name.

In a sixteenth aspect combinable with any of the previous aspects,updating a change table comprises increasing a snapshot value of theplurality of snapshot values.

Various embodiments of a replication module in accordance with thepresent disclosure may include one, some, or all of the followingfeatures. For example, a replication module may maximize consistentreads of data being replicated from a source database to a targetdatabase while minimizing dirty reads, phantom reads, and non-repeatablereads during replication. As another example, the replication module maymaximize throughput during replication from a source database to atarget database while still maintaining a high level of isolation duringreplication to minimize inconsistencies. As another example, thereplication module may not require a committed read on the sourcedatabase as compared to conventional replication techniques. As anotherexample, the replication module may replicate data from a sourcedatabase to a target database in a mostly lock-free transaction (e.g.,may not wait for regular transactions on the source database). As yetanother example, the replication module may respect transactionalconsistency if a target database to which data is being replicated isoperating in a committed read mode. As yet another example, thereplication module may replicate data from a source database to a targetdatabase in parallel transactions, thereby increasing throughput andefficiency.

These general and specific aspects can be implemented using a device,system or method, or any combinations of devices, systems, or methods.The details of one or more implementations are set forth in theaccompanying drawings and the description below. Other features,objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description anddrawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system including a replication module forreplicating data from a source database to a target database accordingto the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example method for replicating data from a sourcedatabase to a target database according to the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate example instructions executed by a systemincluding a replication module for replicating data from a sourcedatabase to a target database according to the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate example tables generated by, for example, areplication module during replication data from a source database to atarget database according to the present disclosure;

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate example instructions executed by a systemincluding a replication module for replicating data from a sourcedatabase to a target database according to the present disclosure;

FIGS. 6A-6F illustrate example tables generated by, for example, areplication module during replication data from a source database to atarget database according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 7 graphically illustrates different consistency levels of one ormore transactions occurring during replication of data from a sourcedatabase to a target database according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example distributed computing system 100 includinga replication module 104 for replicating data from a source database 145to a target database 150. As illustrated, the system 100 includes asource server 125, a target server 130, the source database 145, and thetarget database 150, along with one or more groups of client devices(155, 160, and 165) communicably coupled through a network 140. Inalternative embodiments, however, one or more of these components maynot be part of the distributed computing system 100 without departingfrom the scope of the present disclosure. For instance, in someembodiments, the target server 130 may not be included in the system100, and logic (e.g., software, middleware, source code, executableinstructions, data, and otherwise) illustrated as residing on the targetserver 130 may be located on, for example, the target database 150. Forexample, as illustrated, the replication module 104 may, in someembodiments, reside on the target database 104. Further, in someembodiments, all or a portion of the replication module 104 (describedmore fully below) may reside on the source server 125. In any event, theillustrated system 100 may have alternative embodiments where variouscomponents (e.g., servers, databases, software modules, and otherwise)are not present or reside in or on different appliances than shown inFIG. 1.

Each of the source server 125 and target server 130 include a processor118, memory 120, and an interface 117. Further as illustrated, each ofthe source server 125 and the target server 130 may include all orportions of the replication module 104. The replication module 104 may,in some embodiments, include an application operable to perform one ormore processes to replicate data stored in database tables 170 on thesource database 145 to the target database 150 as corresponding databasetables 180.

In general, the source server 125 and target server 130 may each be anyserver that stores, for example, the replication module 104 and anyadditional hosted applications, where at least a portion of thereplication module 104 is executed via requests and responses sent tousers or clients within and communicably coupled to the illustratedsystem 100. In some instances, the source server 125 and target server130 may each store a plurality of various hosted applications, while inother instances, the source server 125 and target server 130 may each bea dedicated server meant to store and execute only a single application,such as the replication module 104. In some instances, the source server125 and target server 130 may each comprise a web server, where thereplication module 104 and any other hosted applications represent oneor more web-based applications accessed and executed via network 140 bythe clients 155, 160, 165, or other clients of the system to perform theprogrammed tasks or operations of the replication module 104.

At a high level, the source server 125 and target server 130 eachcomprises an electronic computing device operable to receive, transmit,process, store, or manage data and information associated with thesystem 100. For example, the source server 125 and target server 130 mayeach be responsible for receiving application requests from one or moreclient applications associated with the clients 155, 160, and/or 165 ofsystem 100 and responding to the received requests by processing saidrequests in the replication module 104 and/or other hosted application,and sending the appropriate response back to the requesting clientapplication.

In addition to requests from the clients 155, 160, and/or 165illustrated in FIG. 1, requests associated with the replication module104 and/or other hosted applications may also be sent from internalusers, external or third-party customers, other automated applications,as well as any other appropriate entities, individuals, systems, orcomputers. As used in the present disclosure, the term “computer” isintended to encompass any suitable processing device. For example,although FIG. 1 illustrates a single source server 125 and a singletarget server 130, system 100 can be implemented using two or moresource servers 125 and/or target servers 130, as well as computers otherthan servers, including a server pool. Indeed, source server 125 andtarget server 130 may each be any computer or processing device such as,for example, a blade server, general-purpose personal computer (PC),Macintosh, workstation, UNIX-based workstation, or any other suitabledevice. In other words, the present disclosure contemplates computersother than general purpose computers, as well as computers withoutconventional operating systems. Further, the illustrated source server125 and target server 130 may each be adapted to execute any operatingsystem, including Linux, UNIX, Windows, Mac OS, or any other suitableoperating system.

At a high level, the replication module 104 is any application, program,module, process, or other software that may execute, change, delete,generate, or otherwise manage information according to the presentdisclosure, particularly in response to and in connection with one ormore requests received from the illustrated clients 155, 160, and/or 165and their associated client applications. In certain cases, system 100may implement a composite replication module 104. For example, portionsof the composite application may be implemented as Enterprise Java Beans(EJBs) or design-time components may have the ability to generaterun-time implementations into different platforms, such as J2EE (Java 2Platform, Enterprise Edition), ABAP (Advanced Business ApplicationProgramming) objects, or Microsoft's .NET, among others.

Additionally, the replication module 104 may represent web-basedapplications accessed and executed by remote clients or clientapplications via the network 140 (e.g., through the Internet). Further,while illustrated as internal to the source server 125 and/or the targetserver 130, one or more processes associated with the replication module104 may be stored, referenced, or executed remotely. For example, aportion of a particular replication module 104 may be a web serviceassociated with the application that is remotely called, while anotherportion of the replication module 104 may be an interface object oragent bundled for processing at a remote client. Moreover, any or all ofthe replication module 104 may be a child or sub-module of anothersoftware module or enterprise application (not illustrated) withoutdeparting from the scope of this disclosure. Still further, portions ofthe replication module 104 may be executed by a user working directly atthe source server 125 (e.g., at clients 155) or the target server 130(e.g., at clients 160), as well as remotely at clients 165.

Each interface 117 is used by the source server 125 and target server130, respectively, for communicating with other systems in aclient-server or other distributed environment (including within system100) connected to the network 140 (e.g., clients 155, 160, and/or 165,as well as other systems communicably coupled to the network 140).Generally, the interface 117 comprises logic encoded in software and/orhardware in a suitable combination and operable to communicate with thenetwork 140. More specifically, the interface 117 may comprise softwaresupporting one or more communication protocols associated withcommunications such that the network 140 or interface's hardware isoperable to communicate physical signals within and outside of theillustrated system 100.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the source server 125 and the target server130 each includes a processor 118. Although illustrated as a singleprocessor 118 in FIG. 1, two or more processors may be used according toparticular needs, desires, or particular embodiments of system 100. Eachprocessor 118 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a blade, anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmablegate array (FPGA), or another suitable component. Generally, theprocessor 118 executes instructions and manipulates data to perform theoperations of the respective source server 125 or target server 130 and,specifically, the one or more plurality of hosted applications 114.Specifically, the server's processor 118 executes the functionalityrequired to receive and respond to requests from the clients 155, 160,and/or 165 and their respective client applications, as well as thefunctionality required to perform the other operations of thereplication module 104.

Regardless of the particular implementation, “software” may includecomputer-readable instructions, firmware, wired or programmed hardware,or any combination thereof on a tangible, non-transitory (or in someinstance transitory) medium operable when executed to perform at leastthe processes and operations described herein. Indeed, each softwarecomponent may be fully or partially written or described in anyappropriate computer language including C, C++, Java, Visual Basic,assembler, Perl, any suitable version of 4GL, as well as others. It willbe understood that while portions of the software illustrated in FIG. 1are shown as individual modules that implement the various features andfunctionality through various objects, methods, or other processes, thesoftware may instead include a number of sub-modules, third partyservices, components, libraries, and such, as appropriate. Conversely,the features and functionality of various components can be combinedinto single components as appropriate. In the illustrated system 100,processor 118 executes the respective portion (all are a part) of thereplication module and any other hosted applications on the sourceserver 125 and the target server 130.

The source server 125 and the target server 130 also include arespective memory 120. Memory 120 may include any memory or databasemodule and may take the form of volatile or non-volatile memoryincluding, without limitation, magnetic media, optical media, randomaccess memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), removable media, or anyother suitable local or remote memory component. Memory 120 may storevarious objects or data, including classes, frameworks, applications,backup data, business objects, jobs, web pages, web page templates,database tables, repositories storing business and/or dynamicinformation, and any other appropriate information including anyparameters, variables, algorithms, instructions, rules, constraints, orreferences thereto associated with the purposes of the respective sourceserver 125 and target server 130. Additionally, memory 120 may includeany other appropriate data, such as VPN applications, firmware logs andpolicies, firewall policies, a security or access log, print or otherreporting files, as well as others.

Generally, the network 140 facilitates wireless or wirelinecommunications between the components of the system 100 (i.e., betweenthe source server 125 and target server 130 and the clients 155, 160,and/or 165), as well as with any other local or remote computer, such asadditional clients, servers, or other devices communicably coupled tonetwork 140 but not illustrated in FIG. 1. The network 140 isillustrated as a single network in FIG. 1, but may be a continuous ordiscontinuous network without departing from the scope of thisdisclosure, so long as at least a portion of the network 140 mayfacilitate communications between senders and recipients. The network140 may be all or a portion of an enterprise or secured network, whilein another instance at least a portion of the network 140 may representa connection to the Internet. In some instances, a portion of thenetwork 140 may be a virtual private network (VPN), such as, forexample, the connection between the clients 155, 160, and/or 165 and thesource server 125 and target server 130. Further, all or a portion ofthe network 140 can comprise either a wireline or wireless link. Examplewireless links may include 802.11a/b/g/n, 802.20, WiMax, and/or anyother appropriate wireless link. In other words, the network 140encompasses any internal or external network, networks, sub-network, orcombination thereof operable to facilitate communications betweenvarious computing components inside and outside the illustrated system100.

The network 140 may communicate, for example, Internet Protocol (IP)packets, Frame Relay frames, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells,voice, video, data, and other suitable information between networkaddresses. The network 140 may also include one or more local areanetworks (LANs), radio access networks (RANs), metropolitan areanetworks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), all or a portion of theInternet, and/or any other communication system or systems at one ormore locations.

Each of the illustrated clients 155, 160, and/or 165 may be anycomputing device operable to connect to or communicate with at least thesource server 125 and target server 130 and/or via the network 140 usinga wireline or wireless connection. Further, each illustrated clienttypically includes a processor, an interface, a graphical user interface(GUI), a client application, and a memory. In general, each illustratedclient comprises an electronic computer device operable to receive,transmit, process, and store any appropriate data associated with thesystem 100 of FIG. 1.

There may be any number of clients associated with, or external to,system 100. For example, while illustrated system 100 includes threesets of clients (155, 160, and 165), alternative implementations ofsystem 100 may include a single client communicably coupled to thesource server 125 and target server 130, or any other number suitable tothe purposes of the system 100. Additionally, there may also be one ormore additional clients external to the illustrated portion of system100 that are capable of interacting with the system 100 via the network140. Further, the term “client” and “user” may be used interchangeablyas appropriate without departing from the scope of this disclosure.Moreover, while each client 135 is described in terms of being used by asingle user, this disclosure contemplates that many users may use onecomputer, or that one user may use multiple computers.

As used in this disclosure, “client” is intended to encompass a personalcomputer, touch screen terminal, workstation, network computer, kiosk,wireless data port, smart phone, personal data assistant (PDA), one ormore processors within these or other devices, or any other suitableprocessing device. For example, each client may comprise a computer thatincludes an input device, such as a keypad, touch screen, mouse, orother device that can accept user information, and an output device thatconveys information associated with the operation of the source server125 and the target server 130 (and replication module 104) or the clientitself, including digital data, visual information, the clientapplication, or the GUI.

Both the input and output device may include fixed or removable storagemedia such as a magnetic storage media, CD-ROM, or other suitable mediato both receive input from and provide output to users of the clientsthrough the display, namely, the GUI.

A GUI typically comprises a graphical user interface operable tointerface with at least a portion of system 100 for any suitablepurpose, including generating a visual representation of clientapplication (in some instances, the client's web browser) and theinteractions with the replication module 104, including the responsesreceived from the replication module 104 received in response to therequests sent by a client application. Generally, through the GUI, theuser is provided with an efficient and user-friendly presentation ofdata provided by or communicated within the system. The term “graphicaluser interface,” or GUI, may be used in the singular or the plural todescribe one or more graphical user interfaces and each of the displaysof a particular graphical user interface. Therefore, a GUI can representany graphical user interface, including but not limited to, a webbrowser, touch screen, or command line interface (CLI) that processesinformation in system 100 and efficiently presents the informationresults to the user.

In general, a GUI may include a plurality of user interface (UI)elements, some or all associated with a client application or thereplication module 104, such as interactive fields, pull-down lists, andbuttons operable by the user at a particular client. These and other UIelements may be related to or represent the functions of the clientapplication, as well as other software applications executable from aparticular illustrated client. In particular, a GUI may be used topresent the client-based perspective of the replication module 104, andmay be used (as a web browser or using a client application as a webbrowser) to view and navigate the replication module 104, as well asvarious web pages located both internal and external to the server, someof which may be associated with the replication module 104. For purposesof the present location, a GUI may be a part of or the entirety of aclient application, while also merely a tool for displaying the visualrepresentation of application actions and interactions.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the source database 145 and the targetdatabase 150 may be communicably coupled to other components in thesystem 100 (e.g., the source server 125 and the target server 130) viathe network 140. As illustrated, the source database 145 may store oneor more database tables 170. At a high level, the system 100, throughthe replication module 104, may replicate the database tables 170 fromthe source database 145 to the target database 150 by transferring thedatabase tables 170 to the target database 150 as database tables 175and then applying the database tables 175 in the target database 150 asdatabase tables 170.

Turning briefly to FIG. 7, this figure illustrates a graph 700 thatshows different consistency levels of one or more transactions occurringduring replication of data, such as database tables 170, from the sourcedatabase 145 to the target database 150. For example, assume a start(t)that denotes a start time of a transaction T and a commit(T) thatdenotes a commit time in which the transaction T commits its data to oneof the database tables 170 in the source database 145. Further, graph700 illustrates a t_(start) _(—) _(rep) and a t_(end) _(—) _(rep) that,respectively, denote a beginning and an end of a data replication fromthe source database 145 to the target database 150. The differencebetween t_(start) _(—) _(rep) and t_(end) _(—) _(rep) is time period 705shown on a time axis 710. In some instances, such as when a replicationmodule cannot rely on an isolation level during replication for alltransactions T in which commit(T) is less than or equal to t_(end) _(—)_(rep), then changes to the data by transaction T may not be appliedconsistently. For example, transactions T with start(T) less thant_(start) _(—) _(rep) and commit(T) less than or equal to t_(end) _(—)_(rep) may cause phantom reads 750 in zone 745 of graph 700.Transactions T with start(T) greater to or equal to hart rep andcommit(T) less than or equal to t_(end) _(—) _(rep) may causenon-repeatable reads 735 in zone 720 of graph 700. While inconsistentreads due to phantom reads 750 or non-repeatable reads 735 may be solvedduring a subsequent replication of data from the source database 145 tothe target database 150, this may require a sufficient amount of time inwhich no transactions occur, which may cause a decrease in throughputefficiency. Transactions T with a commit(T) greater than t_(end) _(—)_(rep) (regardless of start(t)) may cause dirty reads 740 in zone 725 ofgraph 700. In such cases, the target database 150 may becomeinconsistent beyond repair, since uncommitted changes of transactionsthat may be eventually rolled back (e.g., changed by later transactions)into the source database 145 may be replicated but cannot be rolled backon the target database 150. Transactions with commit(t) less thant_(start) _(—) _(rep) are consistent reads 730 in zone 715, in whichdata is replicated correctly from the source database 145 to the targetdatabase 150.

In some embodiments, one or both of the source database 145 and thetarget database 150 may be an in-memory database including integratedprocessing, i.e., all business and/or analytic operations done inprocessing memory. Thus, the in-memory database, in some aspects, mayhandle the analytical systems for all business data in real-time, asopposed to, for instance, computational processing systems that haveseparate transactional and analytical systems that connect throughrelational databases (i.e., relational databases stored on magneticmemory that require a process, e.g., ETL, to transfer data from onesystem to another not in real time but with a delay of an hour, day,week, or longer). In some embodiments, for example, the replicationmodule 104 (all or partially) may be stored and/or executed on thetarget database 150 (e.g., by one or more processors on or communicablycoupled with the target database 150).

The replication module 104, in some embodiments, may includeinstructions that, when executed, replicate data between the sourcedatabase 145 to the target database 150 while, in some embodiments,maximizing throughput and consistency and minimizing isolation levelduring replication. For example, the replication module 104 maygenerate, maintain, update, or otherwise manage, “snapshots” of thesource database 145 through log tables that record unique identifierswhen data (e.g., database tables 170) in the database 145 is changed.Such unique identifiers may then be associated with secondaryidentifiers that indicate when data in the source repository 145 hasbeen committed. Data in the source repository 145 that is committedprior to the last committed data prior to replication may then bereplicated, thus ensuring (at least partially) consistency between thesource database 145 and target database 150.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example method 200 for replicating data from asource database to a target database, such as data in database tables170 from the source database 145 to the target database 150. In someembodiments, the replication module 104 may execute all or part of themethod 200, either on the source server 125, the target server 130, thetarget database 150, and/or a combination thereof.

Method 200 may start at step 202, when the replicator module monitorsone or more database tables in a database on a source repository. Forinstance, the monitored database tables may be similar to or identicalto the database tables 170 shown on source database 145 in FIG. 1.Further, turning to FIG. 4A, for example, an exemplary database table400 is shown having a key column 405 and a value column 410. Rows 415having keys and corresponding values populate the database table 400. Inthis example, it may be assumed that transaction t[1] has a value “a” attime T100; transaction t[5] has a value “a” at time T100; transactiont[2] has a value “b” at time T200; transaction t[5] has a value “b” attime T200; transaction t[3] has a value “c” at time T300; andtransaction t[5] has a value “c” at time T300. Further, in this example,it may be assumed that the transactions at time T100 are committed(e.g., committed prior to replication start time), while thetransactions at time T200 are currently committing (e.g., committingbetween replication start time and replication end time), and thetransactions at time T300 have not yet committed (e.g., commitment notstarted prior to replication end time).

At step 204, the replication module determines whether there is a changeto at least one database value in a database table of the database. Ifno changes are detected, then method 200 may return to step 202. If atleast one change is detected, then the replication module updates asnapshot value associated with the change to the database value storedin a log table at step 206. For instance, turning to FIG. 4B, an exampleLOG table 420 is illustrated, having the key column 405, the valuecolumn 410, and a SNAPSHOT ID column 425. The LOG table 420 includesrows 430 populated by keys and associated values along with associatedSNAPSHOT IDs. For instance, continuing the previous example, the LOGtable 420 shows that changes were made to t[5] at three time instants,which correspond to SNAPSHOT IDs of 100, 200, and 300 for t[5]. Valuesfor t[1], t[2], and t[3 are shown to have values changed or provided atSNAPSHOT IDs of 100, 200, and 300, respectively. In some embodiments,the method may also include the step of generating the log table. Insome embodiments, the log table may further include another column inwhich an operation value (e.g., delete, add, or other operationindicating a change to the database table) associated with the change tothe at least one database value may be stored.

At step 208, the replication module increments a commit value associatedwith the SNAPSHOT value stored in a commit table. For example, turningto FIG. 4C, a portion of an example COMMITED table 435 is shown havingthe SNAPSHOT ID column 425 and a COMMIT ID column 440 and rows 445including associated values for the SNAPSHOT ID column 425 and theCOMMIT ID column 440. In some embodiments, method 200 may also includegenerating the COMMITED table 435. Further, in some embodiments, step208 may be executed by code 300 shown in FIG. 3A. In alternativeembodiments, other portions of code may be executed by the replicationmodule to accomplish step 208.

Turning briefly to FIG. 4D, a combination table 450 is illustrated thatincludes a combination of the LOG table 420 and the COMMITED table 435.As illustrated in the combination table 450, includes the key column 405and the value column 410 from the LOG table 420. The combination table450 also includes the SNAPSHOT ID column 425 and the COMMIT ID column440. Rows 455 associate values from each of the aforementioned columns.

At step 210, the replication module initiates replication of thedatabase from the source repository to a target repository. At step 212,the replication module determines a maximum COMMIT value in the COMMITEDtable. At step 214, the replication module determines whether a COMMITvalue associated with each SNAPSHOT ID value in the COMMITED table isless than or equal to the maximum COMMIT value. In some embodiments,code 350 shown in FIG. 3B may be executed by the replication module toaccomplish all or portions of steps 210 through 214. Further, asillustrated in the combination table 450, only transactions having atime T200 or T100 may be replicated, since replication began in thisexample after T200 but before T300. Thus, only values associated withSNAPSHOT ID less than or equal to a COMMIT ID value associated with T203may be replicated.

For instance, in some embodiments, the replication module may determineeffected database tables by selecting only those database values with aCOMMIT ID less than or equal to the highest COMMIT ID at a time in whichdata replication begins. Thus, if there are multiple entries for aparticular key, only the latest value may be selected for replication.In some embodiments, the replication module may acquire a shared lock onthe COMMITED table to, for instance, avoid reading transactions inprogress during replication. In some embodiments, however, the COMMIT IDvalue may not represent the exact order of transactions, becauseconcurrent transactions can be committed in arbitrary order after theinsertions of respective COMMIT ID values into the COMMITED table. Thismay be represented by the expression:

COMMIT_ID_(T1)<COMMIT_ID_(T2)→commit(T1)<commit(T2)

Assuming that write(T) denotes data that is actually manipulated by atransaction T, the order is correct if transactions write rows in thedatabase table concurrently, i.e.,

COMMIT_ID_(T1)<COMMIT_ID_(T2)Λcommit(T1)>commit(T2)→write(T1)∩write(T2)=

In some embodiments, the above expressions may be correct because by thetime some transaction reaches its commit handler (e.g., code to committhe data), it must already have obtained an exclusive lock on aconflicting row. Thus, it cannot be surpassed by any transactionmanipulating the same row.

If a COMMIT value associated with a particular SNAPSHOT ID value in theCOMMITED table is less than or equal to the maximum COMMIT value, thenthe replication module acquires a lock on the database table associatedwith the SNAPSHOT ID in step 216. For instance, in some embodiments,acquiring the lock may substantially prevent changes to the databasevalue in the database table associated with the SNAPSHOT ID during lock.Next, in step 218, the replication module may replicate the changeddatabase value in the database table associated with the SNAPSHOT IDform the source repository to the target repository. In someembodiments, step 218 may include replicating the database value in thedatabase table from the source repository to the target repository at aread uncommitted transaction isolation level.

Next, at step 224, the replication module may apply the replicateddatabase value in the database table on the target repository to acorresponding database table in the target repository. In someembodiments, steps 218 and 224 may occur substantially simultaneously.For example, in some embodiments, since the source repository mayproduce high data volume, it may be advantageous to parallelizeprocessing as much as possible. Since the changes in the source databasemay be applied within one transaction, the process of applying thechanges may be divided into two phases. For instance, transfer of LOGtables (e.g., from the source database to the target database) may occurand can be performed in parallel. In some embodiments, parallel tasksmay be started on the source repository and transfer of the tables tothe target repository may occur through a secondary connection. On thetarget database, the logs can be applied by executing proper UPSERT andDELETE statements. In some embodiments, since all changes may becommitted in one transaction, the target repository support runningDML-statements concurrently on multiple processors.

If a COMMIT value associated with a particular SNAPSHOT ID value in theCOMMITED table is not less than or equal to the maximum COMMIT value,then the replication module acquires a lock on the database tableassociated with the SNAPSHOT ID in step 220. Next, in step 222, thereplication module may replicate the unchanged database value in thedatabase table associated with the SNAPSHOT ID form the sourcerepository to the target repository. In some embodiments, step 222 mayinclude replicating the database value in the database table from thesource repository to the target repository at a read uncommittedtransaction isolation level. Next, at step 224, the replication modulemay apply the replicated database value in the database table on thetarget repository to a corresponding database table in the targetrepository.

In some embodiments, method 200 may include additional steps. Forexample, in some embodiments, a global CHANGE table may be generated andmaintained. The global CHANGE table may include two fields, e.g., TABLEname and SNAPSHOT ID. This CHANGE table may be used to track whichtables are effectively changed by a certain transaction associated witha particular SNAPSHOT ID value.

In some embodiments, instead of recording all local transaction“snapshots” and selecting the latest change on some key at the point ofthe replication as described above with reference to method 200, local“snapshots” (e.g., images) can be merged into a global image at the timethe respective transaction commit its changes. For example, in someembodiments, the replication module may, instead of increasing a COMMITID when a SNAPSHOT ID is incremented, increase a GLOBAL IMAGE ID beforestarting any data replication. For this purpose, a GLOBAL ID table, suchas the GLOBAL ID table 635 shown in FIG. 6C, may be generated and/ormaintained. The GLOBAL ID table 635 may be built by the replicationmodule using, for example, an exemplary database table 600 illustratedin FIG. 6A having a key column 605 and a value column 610. Rows 615having keys and corresponding values populate the database table 600.The illustrated database table 600 may also use the assumptions providedabove. For example, it may be assumed that transaction t[1] has a value“a” at time T100; transaction t[5] has a value “a” at time T100;transaction t[2] has a value “b” at time T200; transaction t[5] has avalue “b” at time T200; transaction t[3] has a value “c” at time T300;and transaction t[5] has a value “c” at time T300. Further, as in theabove example, it may be assumed that the transactions at time T100 arecommitted (e.g., committed prior to replication start time), while thetransactions at time T200 are currently committing (e.g., committingbetween replication start time and replication end time), and thetransactions at time T300 have not yet committed (e.g., commitment notstarted prior to replication end time).

The GLOBAL ID table 635 may also be built by the replication moduleusing an example LOG table 620 illustrated in FIG. 6B. The LOG table 620includes the key column 605, the value column 610, and a SNAPSHOT IDcolumn 625. The LOG table 620 includes rows 630 populated by keys andassociated values along with associated SNAPSHOT IDs.

In these alternative embodiments, when committing a transaction, thereplication module may inject code (e.g., some SQL-code) by, forexample, calling a stored-procedure or using an on-commit-trigger ifavailable. In these alternative embodiments, a CHANGE table may be usedto track all database tables that have been changed. In all respectiveLOG tables, however, the SNAPSHOT ID may be changed to the GLOBAL IMAGEID (e.g., as shown in FIG. 6C. The corresponding entries in the CHANGEtable may also be set to the GLOBAL IMAGE ID. In some aspects of theseembodiments, a read lock may be acquired on GLOBAL IMAGE ID in order toprevent initiation of a replication while the private image is merged.In such embodiments, the COMMITTED table (e.g., COMMITTED table 435) maynot be required and/or used.

In such example alternative embodiments, code included and/or executedby the replication module may be different than that described abovewith reference to FIGS. 3A-3B. For example, code 500 shown in FIG. 5Amay be executed by and/or in the replication module in order to, forinstance, implement and/or increment the GLOBAL IMAGE ID. In someinstances, such code may be simpler since a determination of the maximumCOMMIT ID is no longer necessary.

Further, in such example embodiments, code to initiate replication maybe different than that shown in FIG. 3B. For example, code 550 in FIG.5B may illustrate example code included in and/or executed by thereplication module for replication.

Continuing the above alternative example, it may be assumed thattransaction T100 already committed successfully. As a result, itschanges are captured in an image 1 while T200 and T300 still haveprivate images. The replication module may acquire an exclusive lock onthe GLOBAL ID table 635 shown in FIG. 6C in order to increase the GLOBALIMAGE ID. Since T200 holds a shared lock while merging its changes intothe image 1, the replication module may wait until T200 commits.Transaction T300 may be prevented from committing its changes unless thereplication module has increased the GLOBAL IMAGE ID to 2.

Once the GLOBAL IMAGE ID is increased to 2, then T300 may merge itschanges into an image 2. Until then, however, the replication module canselect all entries of image 1. This alternative embodiment may beadvantageous if there are many update statements in the application. Ifreplication is not frequent, then the log tables produced are smallerthan in the first approach described with reference to method 200. Forexample, maximum size is limited by twice the size of the originaltable. However, transactions in the source database may slow down, sincethey have to compress the log tables while committing. The replicationmodule, however, may not sort out multiple updates on a certain key.

A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it willbe understood that various modifications can be made. For example, othermethods described herein besides those, or in addition to those,illustrated in FIG. 2 can be performed. Further, the illustrated stepsof method 200 can be performed in different orders, either concurrentlyor serially. Further, steps can be performed in addition to thoseillustrated in method 200, and some steps illustrated in method 200 canbe omitted without deviating from the present disclosure. Further,although not illustrated, one or more of the tables shown in FIGS. 4A-4Cand 6A-6F may be stored on one or both of the source database 145 or thetarget database 150, or at a respective server or client systemcommunicably coupled thereto. Accordingly, other implementations arewithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method performed with a computing system forreplicating data to a database, the method comprising: determining achange to at least one database value in a database table of a databaseon a source repository; updating, based on the change to the at leastone database value, a snapshot value associated with the change to theat least one database value stored in a log table, the log tablecomprising the database value, a database key associated with thedatabase value, and the snapshot value associated with the change to theat least one database value; incrementing, based on the update to thesnapshot value, a commit value associated with the snapshot value storedin a commit table, the commit table comprising a plurality of commitvalues associated with a plurality of corresponding snapshot values;initiating replication of the database from the source repository to atarget repository; determining, subsequent to initiating replication, amaximum commit value of the plurality of commit values; and replicatingthe database value in the database table from the source repository tothe target repository based on the commit value associated with thesnapshot value being less than or equal to the maximum commit value. 2.The method of claim 1, further comprising: acquiring a lock on thedatabase table during replication of the database value in the databasetable from the source repository to a target repository; andsubstantially preventing changes to the at least one database value inthe database table during lock.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: applying the replicated database value in the database tablein the target repository to a corresponding database value in acorresponding database table in the target repository so that thecorresponding database value matches the replicated database value. 4.The method of claim 3, further comprising: determining a change to asecond database value in the database table; updating, based on thechange to the second database value, a second snapshot value associatedwith the change to the second database value stored in the log table;incrementing, based on the update to the second snapshot value, a secondcommit value associated with the second snapshot value stored in thecommit table; and replicating the second database value from the sourcerepository to the target repository based on the second commit valueassociated with the second snapshot value being less than or equal tothe maximum commit value.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein replicatingthe second database value in the database table from the sourcerepository to the target repository occurs substantially in parallelwith applying the replicated database value in the database table in thetarget repository to the corresponding database value in a correspondingdatabase table in the target repository.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein replicating the database value in the database table from thesource repository to the target repository comprises replicating thedatabase value in the database table from the source repository to thetarget repository at a read uncommitted transaction isolation level. 7.The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating the log tablecomprising the database value, the database key associated with thedatabase value, and the snapshot value associated with the change to theat least one database value, the log table further comprising anoperation value associated with the change to the at least one databasevalue.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating thecommit table comprising the plurality of commit values associated withthe plurality of corresponding snapshot values, wherein the commit tableis associated with a plurality of log tables.
 9. The method of claim 1,further comprising: updating, based on the updated snapshot value, achange table comprising a plurality of snapshot values and a pluralityof database table names, each of the plurality of snapshot valuesassociated with a corresponding database table name.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, wherein updating a change table comprises increasing a snapshotvalue of the plurality of snapshot values.
 11. An apparatus comprisinginstructions embodied on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readablemedia, the instructions operable when executed to cause a computingsystem to perform operations comprising: determining a change to atleast one database value in a database table of a database on a sourcerepository; updating, based on the change to the at least one databasevalue, a snapshot value associated with the change to the at least onedatabase value stored in a log table, the log table comprising thedatabase value, a database key associated with the database value, andthe snapshot value associated with the change to the at least onedatabase value; incrementing, based on the update to the snapshot value,a commit value associated with the snapshot value stored in a committable, the commit table comprising a plurality of commit valuesassociated with a plurality of corresponding snapshot values; initiatingreplication of the database from the source repository to a targetrepository; determining, subsequent to initiating replication, a maximumcommit value of the plurality of commit values; and replicating thedatabase value in the database table from the source repository to thetarget repository based on the commit value associated with the snapshotvalue being less than or equal to the maximum commit value.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:acquiring a lock on the database table during replication of thedatabase value in the database table from the source repository to atarget repository; and substantially preventing changes to the at leastone database value in the database table during lock.
 13. The apparatusof claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: applying thereplicated database value in the database table in the target repositoryto a corresponding database value in a corresponding database table inthe target repository so that the corresponding database value matchesthe replicated database value.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, whereinthe operations further comprise: determining a change to a seconddatabase value in the database table; updating, based on the change tothe second database value, a second snapshot value associated with thechange to the second database value stored in the log table;incrementing, based on the update to the second snapshot value, a secondcommit value associated with the second snapshot value stored in thecommit table; and replicating the second database value from the sourcerepository to the target repository based on the second commit valueassociated with the second snapshot value being less than or equal tothe maximum commit value.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, whereinreplicating the second database value in the database table from thesource repository to the target repository occurs substantially inparallel with applying the replicated database value in the databasetable in the target repository to the corresponding database value in acorresponding database table in the target repository.
 16. The apparatusof claim 11, wherein replicating the database value in the databasetable from the source repository to the target repository comprisesreplicating the database value in the database table from the sourcerepository to the target repository at a read uncommitted transactionisolation level.
 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the operationsfurther comprise: generating the log table comprising the databasevalue, the database key associated with the database value, and thesnapshot value associated with the change to the at least one databasevalue, the log table further comprising an operation value associatedwith the change to the at least one database value.
 18. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: generating the committable comprising the plurality of commit values associated with theplurality of corresponding snapshot values, wherein the commit table isassociated with a plurality of log tables.
 19. The apparatus of claim11, wherein the operations further comprise: updating, based on theupdated snapshot value, a change table comprising a plurality ofsnapshot values and a plurality of database table names, each of theplurality of snapshot values associated with a corresponding databasetable name.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein updating a changetable comprises increasing a snapshot value of the plurality of snapshotvalues.
 21. A computing system, comprising a memory, one or moreprocessors, and instructions stored on the memory and operable whenexecuted by the one or more processors to cause the computing system toperform operations comprising: determining a change to at least onedatabase value in a database table of a database on a source repository;updating, based on the change to the at least one database value, asnapshot value associated with the change to the at least one databasevalue stored in a log table, the log table comprising the databasevalue, a database key associated with the database value, and thesnapshot value associated with the change to the at least one databasevalue; incrementing, based on the update to the snapshot value, a commitvalue associated with the snapshot value stored in a commit table, thecommit table comprising a plurality of commit values associated with aplurality of corresponding snapshot values; initiating replication ofthe database from the source repository to a target repository;determining, subsequent to initiating replication, a maximum commitvalue of the plurality of commit values; and replicating the databasevalue in the database table from the source repository to the targetrepository based on the commit value associated with the snapshot valuebeing less than or equal to the maximum commit value.
 22. The system ofclaim 21, wherein the operations further comprise: acquiring a lock onthe database table during replication of the database value in thedatabase table from the source repository to a target repository; andsubstantially preventing changes to the at least one database value inthe database table during lock.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein theoperations further comprise: applying the replicated database value inthe database table in the target repository to a corresponding databasevalue in a corresponding database table in the target repository so thatthe corresponding database value matches the replicated database value.24. The system of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:determining a change to a second database value in the database table;updating, based on the change to the second database value, a secondsnapshot value associated with the change to the second database valuestored in the log table; incrementing, based on the update to the secondsnapshot value, a second commit value associated with the secondsnapshot value stored in the commit table; and replicating the seconddatabase value from the source repository to the target repository basedon the second commit value associated with the second snapshot valuebeing less than or equal to the maximum commit value.
 25. The system ofclaim 24, wherein replicating the second database value in the databasetable from the source repository to the target repository occurssubstantially in parallel with applying the replicated database value inthe database table in the target repository to the correspondingdatabase value in a corresponding database table in the targetrepository.
 26. The system of claim 21, wherein replicating the databasevalue in the database table from the source repository to the targetrepository comprises replicating the database value in the databasetable from the source repository to the target repository at a readuncommitted transaction isolation level.
 27. The system of claim 21,wherein the operations further comprise: generating the log tablecomprising the database value, the database key associated with thedatabase value, and the snapshot value associated with the change to theat least one database value, the log table further comprising anoperation value associated with the change to the at least one databasevalue.
 28. The system of claim 21, wherein the operations furthercomprise: generating the commit table comprising the plurality of commitvalues associated with the plurality of corresponding snapshot values,wherein the commit table is associated with a plurality of log tables.29. The system of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise:updating, based on the updated snapshot value, a change table comprisinga plurality of snapshot values and a plurality of database table names,each of the plurality of snapshot values associated with a correspondingdatabase table name.
 30. The system of claim 29, wherein updating achange table comprises increasing a snapshot value of the plurality ofsnapshot values.